West Bromwich Albion fans will want to see their team break free of their tag of nearly-men in the Championship promotion race this coming season.
The Baggies have now been outside the luxuries of the Premier League for four seasons on the spin, with Carlos Corberan clinching a playoff spot for the West Midlands side during the 2023/24 season, only for a semi-final exit to crush their promotion dreams.
It will be up to rookie manager Ryan Mason to finally guide West Brom back up to the Premier League, with the powers that be at the Hawthorns going down a brave, new route in offering the inexperienced 33-year-old the reins.
He might well look to utilise his former Tottenham Hotspur connections when attempting to land gems in the transfer market, with Mikey Moore one North London prodigy that continues to stick out.
Latest on West Brom's pursuit of Moore
It has been a long-standing rumour at the Hawthorns this summer that West Brom are interested in bringing the 17-year-old sensation to the Championship.
After all, the teenage attacker does boast an astounding return of 19 goals from 24 appearances for Spurs’ U19s, on top of also showing off his class in senior action when powering home his first-ever men’s goal for Thomas Frank’s men last season in the Europa League.
But, it could be argued that West Brom are already strong down both the left wing and right wing – where Moore regularly roams – with Tom Fellows, Jed Wallace, and Mikey Johnston all at Mason’s disposal. Between them last season in the second tier, the entertaining trio would tally up a hefty 27 goal contributions.
Moreover, with experience perhaps preferred when looking for fresh recruits down the wing as ex-Derby forward Tom Lawrence continues to be linked, the Baggies might look to other faces in the Spurs academy to bolster their squad, with a loan return for this striker potentially on the menu as a better pick-up than Moore.
How Mason could seal a better signing than Moore
If there was an area on the pitch that fills West Brom with anxiety, it would be up top in the centre-forward position.
West Brom haven’t been blessed with lady luck in this department, considering Josh Maja found himself out of action from January onwards last campaign when picking up an unfortunate injury, away from Daryl Dike also being a regular member of the Hawthorns treatment room.
Josh Maja
26
12
44
Karlan Grant
44
7
4
Devante Cole
16
0
0
Daryl Dike
11
1
133
Therefore, to ensure they don’t leave themselves short on numbers in attack, West Brom could soon welcome back former loan face Will Lankshear to Mason’s camp, with Football London reporting earlier this week that the Baggies want to secure the temporary signature of the 20-year-old once more, alongside other Championship suitors sniffing around.
Lankshear did endure a testing loan stint with the club last season, with zero goals picked up across 11 appearances, but he was shoved into the deep-end arguably, considering he joined the building right in the midst of West Brom’s promotion push falling flat.
He only started four of those league clashes too, and with such a glowing track record in youth circles at Spurs – much like Moore – Mason might well be the perfect manager to get the most out of Lankshear in a senior set-up, having worked with him closely in North London.
Amazingly, the “phenomenal” forward – as he was labelled by journalist John Wenham – has an even sturdier goal tally next to his name for the Spurs U21s than Moore has managed in his age bracket, with a venomous 26 strikes amassed from just 35 contests.
Even if Maja is back to full fitness this coming season, adding in Lankshear wouldn’t hurt, with the 20-year-old hotshot no doubt able to enhance his game bouncing off of such an experienced EFL head.
With their highest average age across the lineup coming in at 28.7 last season, adding in stars of the future, such as the England U20 international, could be a worthwhile move, as Mason attempts to leave his mark on the Baggies to try and push his new employers up the league.
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